The Parma Fire Department is on a role, having bagged three grants recently
Mike Lasky, the fire chief, says he feels as if the department has won the trifecta, having been given three grants. The largest comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its Staffing for Adequate Fire, and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. This grant is in the amount of $1,051,073, which will enable the department to bring eight new firefighters on board.
Lasky reveals this is the third time FEMA has made this grant to Parma, which is very unusual, since departments across the country compete to receive SAFER funds. Parma applied early in the year for the funding to replace firefighters who are retiring. Lasky adds that the timing is perfect, since the department is supposed to have 107 firefighters, but due to attrition, currently has only 100, with another due to retire later this year. The grant will pay the wages of the new hires for a period of two years, but also requires that the department replace anybody else who retires during this length of time.
The other two grants were a FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant in the amount of $465,000, which will be used to purchase radios; and a $65,000 grant, also from FEMA, for an air compressor the department will use to fill firefighters’ air bottles. Flyer printing can be used to inform residents of issues like this.
